If you have ever postponed your tasks for later, you might know how hard it is to get out of the procrastination loop and get the job done. It might be quite hard to overcome this problem with only willpower. That’s because procrastination is a complex issue that has to be handled accordingly.
Of course, working on it would require changing your routine first and foremost. To help yourself, you can use special apps like Liven that not only organize your to-do lists, but also teach you to get to the root of your procrastination problem. But besides that, you can also do some little mindfulness tricks to finally leave the habit of postponing behind.
And here is a list of 1 mindfulness exercises that might come in handy while battling procrastination.
Define the discomfort
We are used to treating procrastination as a simple lack of desire to act. But what if there is something more behind it? What makes you feel the discomfort that stops you from doing what you know you have to?
This might become a good starting question for your therapy, but if you are not ready to turn to specialists and wish to discover your emotions on your own, it is a good idea to use special apps.
Liven app can help you recognize and identify emotional triggers that make you do or skip things, find your behavioral patterns, and even build new habits. When you know your reactions well, it is much easier for you to understand where the discomfort you feel comes from. Hence, it makes overcoming procrastination a much easier challenge.
Surely, this won’t work separately, but it might just be your first step towards your peace of mind.
Set the intention
If you want your movement toward a goal to be effective and successful, you have to set a proper intention. It works the same in fighting procrastination.
To make your tasks doable, you need to understand two important things:
- what you are doing;
- and why you are doing it.
These are the two components of intention and goal setting. You have to find proper motivation to do the tasks, even if sometimes they seem boring. When you discover the true value behind the action is for you, it will be much easier to complete the task. Try to go for something concrete; abstract intentions don’t work in the long run. Make it meaningful for yourself, find the personal benefit, and aim for it.
Commit to partnership
Oftentimes, it is more interesting to do things together with someone. Humans are social creatures, and it has already been proven by scientists. So, use this knowledge to your own advantage! Pair up with your classmate, friend, or colleague to do what you have to. They don’t have to share the same goal or work in a pair with you. Sometimes, even having a company by your side is motivating enough.
You can support each other in the process, or even bet that you will do the job faster, if that kind of motivation works better for you. Whatever it is, share it, and you will see how the urge to postpone again vanishes.
Make your steps manageable
When you have something hard or massive to complete, it might feel impossible. A lot of us don’t start the work in such cases; we just don’t know where to start. So, the trick is to break the task down into steps. You have probably heard of this tip already, but you need to try it to make it work for you.
Remember, it is not necessary to make the steps tiny. Surely, it might be a winning strategy, but what really matters is that these steps are manageable. First, describe the final result in as much detail as possible. When you know exactly what to expect, it is easier to come up with ways to achieve it. Then, when you understand what you have to do, start working on ‘how’. What actions do you need to perform to reach that result? Make it a numbered list so it’s visualized better.
And then, when the list is ready and you totally understand every point, you can break each of them down into smaller steps (or tasks).
This preparation might seem too long or useless at the very beginning, but when you are done, you will look back at it and understand it was worth it. And, there are significantly fewer chances to give up when you have a clear vision of what to do. So give it a try!
Get quality rest
We are used to the thought that to stop procrastination, you have to act. It is true, but there is more to this idea. To be active and perform well, we need energy. And where do you get it? Right, from proper food and rest.
When you already have an issue with procrastination, it means that sometimes you have to make double efforts or act fast to meet the deadline. And to be able to do so, you need strength and a good mood.
Try to have a plan and squeeze a good 8-hour sleep into that schedule. Remember to take breaks when working on any project, and take care of yourself. By the way, spending time on social media is not considered rest! It takes a lot of your attention and tires your brain, not letting it rewire properly.
Think of taking walks outdoors, spending some time without gadgets, and taking breaks from communication when you feel like it.
Whatever works for you!
Summing up
It is not so easy to overcome procrastination and always do every little thing on time. But if you have already decided to aim for it, there are some mindful steps you can take.
Without further ado, give something you have learned from this article a try. Don’t let it stay just a theory for you; practice some of the exercises listed above and move towards your calm and successful future.
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